Systems Engineering and Science

Problems in modern society do not fall only into a single specialized field. Under the prospects for the future, methods to solve these problems are formed comprehensively by linking them with various technologies and scientific elements, whilst placing harmony to limit the environmental problems and resource problems, and with traditional culture and values at its base.
The System Engineering and Science Course aims to nurture researchers and engineers who have an ability to identify cross-disciplinary problems involving multiple disciplines and who have comprehensive problem-solving skills. In order to achieve this goal, students will establish the issues facing modern society in a flexible manner based on science and technology, culture and values, society and the environment, and the ethics for engineers as their basis, they will use specialized knowledge, which will become the core of their own research, as well as the background knowledge beyond disciplinary frameworks and system thinking acquired through completing, 1. Compulsory subjects; 2. Research guidance and specialized subjects; 3. Elective subjects; 4. Common subjects.

This course has set the goal that students will be able to establish the issues in modern society in a flexible manner based on science and technology, culture and values, society and the environment, and the ethics for engineering practice. As their basis, they will use the specialized knowledge, which will become their core knowledge, as well as the background knowledge beyond the disciplinary framework and system thinking. They will also acquire the skills to identify cross-disciplinary problems and comprehensive problem-solving skills. Shibaura Institute of Technology will confer the Master's degree in System Engineering to those who have registered with the Master's Program for the prescribed period, when the above-described objectives are judged to have been achieved through completing the compulsory subjects, research guidance and specialized subjects, elective subjects and common subjects in the program as well as completing a Master's thesis.
The requirements for completion to achieve the goals above are specifically determined as follows.
Students will acquire:

1. System thought, theories and methods of system engineering, design theory, and system management skills required for resolving social problems by studying the compulsory subjects of this course.
2. Communication and leadership skills through “special exercises,” which is one of the compulsory subjects of this course necessary to realize a successful hybrid project involving different academic fields.
3. The skills to solve specialized problems by deepening their specialized knowledge and experiences through studying specialized subjects and elective subjects.
4. Background knowledge beyond the disciplinary frameworks through studying technologies from other fields, and will have an ability to accurately utilize such background knowledge in society by combining it with the specialized knowledge, which forms the core of their research.
5. Skills to clarify their research theme, which is set by themselves and to draw comprehensive solutions through the works for research guidance subjects, while also acquiring skills to systematize the knowledge gained through writing their Master's thesis.
6. Communication skills through studying common subjects, and at the same time, will also acquire the human competence, which is necessary to solve problems by bringing individual sciences and technologies together. Ethics in engineering practice as engineers who will contribute to society.

Degree Assessment Criteria

In relation to these requirements for completion, the assessment criteria for a Master's degree are defined as follows.

• Candidates will have received research guidance, and will then write and submit their Master's thesis in order to pass the assessment.

Criteria for the judgement of the Master's thesis are as follows:
“The submitted Master's thesis includes information confirming that the candidate has presented more than one paper at an academic conference*, or the thesis should include an equivalent result.**”

* This includes a presentation at a lecture, an annual meeting, and a seminar or a symposium of an academic association, a presentation at an international conference, publication of an article or a letter in an academic journal, or equivalent publication.
** Results equivalent to a presentation at an academic conference refers to results produced other than at an academic conference such as obtaining a patent, or a result equivalent to a presentation or publication at an academic association or in an academic journal.

For the purpose of achieving its educational and research objectives, this course will implement the following synthesis (synthesis thought) led education and research:

1. By completing the compulsory subjects, students will acquire the following knowledge and skills through cross-disciplinary education and research: “System thought” for comprehensive problem-solving; “System method” for designing functions to achieve objectives; and “System management,” which integrates human and knowledge with the technology required for solving problems. Furthermore, this subject involves special exercises by a hybrid project involving different academic fields through which students will gain communication and leadership skills.
2. Students will determine research guidance and specialization subjects, which will be the core of their specialized knowledge, from the five areas of machinery and control, electronics and information, society and the environment, life science, and mathematical science, and will acquire the skills to solve specialized problems in the area that they have selected.
3. Students will acquire the skills to clarify the theme set by themselves and to draw comprehensive solutions using the works for research guidance subjects, while they will also acquire skills to systematize the knowledge gained through writing their Master's thesis.
4. Students will be allowed to take and complete any subjects from all of available fields to gain the knowledge they require, as an elective.
5. Students will acquire communication skills through taking common subjects, and at the same time, they will also acquire human competence, which is necessary to solve problems by bringing individual science and technologies together as well as acquiring ethics in engineering practice as engineers who will contribute to society.

The System Engineering and Science Course, which is characterized by interdisciplinary education and research, seeks students who :

1. have a keen interest in the mechanisms and origins of various objects and things around him/her and should be able to understand and think deeply about the problem and be interested in clarifying it.
2. have a strong interest in the interdisciplinary seminar courses in the Department of Systems Engineering and Science, and should be proactive and willing to learn, for example by working in teams with students from different disciplines.
3. have the will to contribute to society through value-added manufacturing and the creation of new frameworks that emphasize the linkage of the elements that make up the system.